Selfie stick - NOT amateur radio

Over the weekend, we treated our son and grandson to brunch. Here I am trying my selfie stick. 

I look like a Far East tourist, but they have their uses when trying to get everyone on.

630m WSPR overnight

 

17 stations spotted me overnight with 10mW ERP WSPR from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground.

Sunspots - Monday November 27th 2023

 Solar flux is 180 and the SSN 169.  A=10 and K=2.

23cms in 2024

Where did 2023 go? 

Earlier this year I bought a 2W 23cm transverter and my intention was to go /P in some UKAC activity contests. I have not been out /P once! Maybe in 2024?

On EI7GL's blog, there is some encouraging news about the 23cm band.

630m QRP WSPR (Sunday evening)

My 10mW ERP from thw earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground is being widely spotted.

UPDATE 2208z:  12 stations have spotted me so far this evening (see table).

Grandsons growing and wife shrinking - NOT amateur radio

Both our grandsons have grown, and my wife has shortened. The overall result is they now look very tall, although still not quite as tall as their dads! In the next few years I expect this will change!

10m 500uW WSPR tests continued (Sunday)

 My 10m WSPR beacon is again on with the PA turned off. Unsurprisingly, no spots.

8m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

 My gear was turned on about 1225z. So far ZS3/V51PJ spotted on RX and G4WSZ (12km) on TX.

UPDATE 1727z:  3 stations in Europe spotted my 2.5W  8m FT8 today (see map).

Neighbour's garden - NOT amateur radio

 

This was a neighbour's garden last week. His grass is still growing. My grass could do with one last cut.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

 

In all, 13 stations spotted the 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground (see table).

Sunspots - Sunday November 26th 2023

 Solar flux is 176 and the SSN 179.  A=14 and K=1.

630m QRP WSPR (Saturday)

My QRP station was turned on at about 1945z. So far, a spot by G6AVK.

UPDATE 2050z:   5 stations have spotted my 10mW ERP this evening.

10m 500uW WSPR TX (Saturday)

 My 0.5mW tests on 10m WSPR TX continue. So far, no spots.

8m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

 

At about 1300z my 8m QRP FT8 was turned on. So far spots by 9 stations (see map). Good F2 conditions. Probably my best day ever on the band with both Europe and the Caribbean stations spotting me.

Brunch - NOT amateur radio

We have our son and grandson staying. We treated them to brunch.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

 

In all, 13 stations spotted my 10mW ERP with the furthermost LA.

Birthday girl - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, my wife was 21 and quite a bit!! We had our two sons and 3 of our 4 grandchildren around.

Sunspots - Saturday November 25th 2023

 Solar flux is 178 and the SSN 184. A=7 and K=3.

HF propagation

In the last few days (until today) I had given up on 8m. Today, I am back on the band and have been spotted by 4 stations including 2 in the Caribbean. F2 conditions appear to be quite good still. It is worth keeping an eye on propagation including the MUF.

See https://prop.kc2g.com/.

8m QRP FT8

After a few days not on 8m, I am back on with 2.5W and the dipole. Already spotted by G4WSZ (12km).  I see an ON was spotted across the Atlantic yesterday.

UPDATE 1148z: Also spotted by EI9KP (649km) on 8m FT8.

UPDATE 1430z:  Spotted by 3 stations today. Furthermost was HI0SDR/3 (7008km) in the Caribbean.  On RX 2 S.Africans spotted here.

UPDATE 1518z: Spots by 6 stations (see logbook).

UPDATE 1725z: Spotted by 7 stations according to PSKreporter. For some reasons several CQs by a VA2 did not get reported by PSKreporter. Now QSYed to 630m QRP WSPR.

UPDATE 1800z:  My signal in the USA.

500uW 10m WSPR TX (Friday)

Once again, my beacon is on 10m QRPPP WSPR with the PA turned off with an output of about 500uW. For several days, no spots.  A good experiment and I live in hope!

UPDATE 1043z:  Still no spots, although I am not surprised.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

 

Disappointing with just 8 English stations spotting me.  No DX.

OFCOM consultation

OFCOM is consulting on shared access to spectrum for high speed internet access at microwaves. See the OFCOM website for details. Closing date for inputs is early February.

Sunspots - Friday November 24th 2023

Solar flux is 194 and the SSN 176. A=7 and K=1.

Rally this weekend

Saturday Nov 25th - Wiltshire Winter Radio Rally, Kington Langley, SN15 5NJ. Contact Chairman@Chippenhamradio.club

630m QRP WSPR (Thursday)

 My 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground has been on since teatime.

UPDATE 2220z:  7 stations have spotted me so far. All are UK.

500uW 10m WSPR (Thursday)

 Yet again, I have had my beacon running with the PA off so the output is about 500uW.  So far, and I suspect all day now, no spots.

Cambridge autumn - NOT amateur radio

This was taken from the bus earlier today. It shows one of the many parks in the city.

6m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

My system (2.5W to the V2000 vertical omni) has been on for hours, with no spots at all on RX or TX. It would appear there is nobody on unless there is Es or F2 about.

UPDATE 1720z:  No spots all day. QSYing shortly to 630m QRP  WSPR.

Sunspots - Thursday November 23rd 2023

 Solar flux is 190 and the SSN 174.  A=30 and K=1.

630m QRP WSPR (Wednesday)

My 10mW ERP 630m WSPR was turned on about 1620z. So far, no spots of me on TX. Just M0FMT (51km) spotted on RX.

UPDATE 1716z: 2E0ILY/KIWI (209km) has spotted me three times.

Grand Arcade, Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

The Grand Arcade in Cambridge is a covered indoor mall, near the centre of town. It has some big named stores as well as a Raspberry Pi shop for geeks! It is gearing up for Christmas. 

This is a view on one of the quieter sides.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

My 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground was on overnight. In all, 7 stations spotted me with the furthermost DL4SA (788km),

2m FT8 (Wednesday)

At the moment, I am on 2m FT8 with 2.5W to the big-wheel omni antenna. Already 4 spots. after 10 minutes or so.

UPDATE 1445z: So far today (as the map shows) my 2.5W 2m FT8  using the big-wheel omni has been spotted by 11 stations with the furthermost GI6ATZ (479km).

10m QRPPP WSPR (Wednesday)

In the end, I decided to continue my 500uW 10m WSPR tests with my beacon. Although it is pre-programmed to report 0.5W to WSPRnet, the PA is turned off so the actual beacon output is 500uW. Any spots at all would be a bonus. The beauty of the beacon is it just runs in the background. No spots!

UPDATE 1655z: No spots all day at 500uW.

Sunspots - Wednesday November 22nd 2023

 Solar flux is 172 and the SSN 138. A=18 and K=5.

King's College Chapel, Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

 

Walking back along this path I noticed the clouds behind the chapel.

630m QRP WSPR (Tuesday)

My 10mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground was turned on about 2133z. So far this evening, 3 stations have spotted me.

DX - apt name

This lorry was seen from the bus this morning. I liked the name of this delivery company. Their tagline? Delivering Excellence. 

I wonder if they deliver long distance!!

Lucky? - NOT amateur radio

 

Every Tuesday we go to see a free concert at Cambridge University. Today it was the Kingsmen who were male singers from King's College Choir. It was note perfect and sublime. It is very easy to take Cambridge for granted.